Generalmajor is the lowest General officer rank in the Heer and Luftwaffe services of the Wehrmacht. However, being a General, it still commands much respect. The Generalmajor is one step up from an Oberst, (a Colonel by US Military standards) who is still considered to be only a senior officer. The Generalmajor is equivalent to a Kontreadmiral in the Kriegsmarine. It is also on the same level as a Waffen-SS, SS-Brigadeführer, who also held the fitting title Generalmajor der SS. A Wehrmacht Generalmajor would equate to a Brigadier General in the United States Armed Forces.
The main insignia representing the rank of Generalmajor would be the General-level braided shoulder boards with no pip. However, other parts of the uniform changed in the transition between Oberst and Generalmajor. Buttons, the breast eagle, and other items changed to a gilded appearance, as opposed to the silver finish for other non-General officers. Waffenfarben also sometimes changed to reflect status as a General.
For a complete rank chart of the Wehrmacht, see Wehrmacht Ranks |
